


I Don't Need Your Arms Around Me // Unfinished Business

by stevieraebarnes



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Aggression, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Battlestar Galactica References, Boxing & Fisticuffs, Character Study, Dealing with Season 3's Tension, Denial of Feelings, Examination of Season 2 Episode 1, Feelings, Friends to Almost Lovers to Enemies to Lovers, Friends to Lovers, Happy Ending, I promise, Keith and Shiro Go Head to Head, M/M, Minor Violence, Season/Series 03, Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-30
Updated: 2017-09-30
Packaged: 2019-01-07 03:06:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,529
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12224466
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stevieraebarnes/pseuds/stevieraebarnes
Summary: Voltron and the Castle of Lions come up with an Earth tradition to deal with the tension and aggression the team is feeling, and with it Keith's memories of what happened between him and Shiro come to the surface.Based on the Battlestar Galactica episode "Unfinished Business" (S.03 Ep.09).





	I Don't Need Your Arms Around Me // Unfinished Business

**Author's Note:**

> Please take this angst with an ending of happiness. Thanks for reading. I hope you enjoy!
> 
> PS: italic segments are flashbacks.

_You want me to lead?! This is how I lead!_

_Keith! Where are you going?_

_I agree with Shiro._

_Shiro has a point, Keith._

_If you’re going to lead someday…_

_I don’t want to be the leader! That’s just what Shiro wanted!_

_Then you’ve chosen to be alone._

_Keith! That’s enough!_

_Shiro! Wait!_

 

Hunk and Lance found the platform stowed away in a wall storage unit of the training room and immediately knew how the team could benefit. They grabbed Pidge, knowing that they needed her creative solutions to pull this off. Several hours later everything was ready; Pidge had always worked quickly.

 

A boxing ring sat in the middle of the training deck that the three paladins had managed to rig together. They laughed while arranging everything, imagining the hits everyone would take and whose scores would be settled in this ring they had constructed. Coran and Allura had peeked in on them, wondering where they had been and what all the hollering was. The three had excitedly explained how boxing worked: with fists, with entertainment, with betting and losing. The two Alteans had smiled at the trio’s enthusiasm, perhaps sensing that the paladins needed some time off to do whatever they wanted even if it sounded rather horrific.

“We’ll have Coran ref,” Lance said when the two left the paladins to finish their work. “And then I challenge you, Hunk!” he shouted.

“Oh! You. Are. On! Just remember later that you asked for this!”

“What about you, Pidge? You gonna challenge anyone?”

“Maybe you after you lose to Hunk,” Pidge responded.

“Ouch! Betrayal!” Then, “I wonder if we could get Coran in the ring. I’d like to finally see who could take who. Remember when we first woke him from the pod? He totally said he could take me!” Lance climbed into the ring and started bouncing around. He looked out from the stage he stood on, the training deck at his mercy. He took in what they had built, the fun that was promised.

“This is going to be awesome,” he said with a grin.

 

***

“See? All one really needs is a soothing hot beverage to help relax.” Allura pushes the cup towards Keith who grabs it and takes a sip.

“Thanks, Allura,” he says. They stand around a prep counter in the castle kitchens, where Allura has pulled him in for a heart to heart. There is so much tension when there should only be relief. Instead, Allura has endured watching the two closest paladins, black and red, stand apart instead of together. It had all been so easy before. And the older ones had had a strong, loyal…friendship? Bond? Why was it so different now?

“Of course. Everyone’s been pretty stressed…and confused, I think.” She takes a quick glance at Keith, but he’s looking into his mug. “We seem to be getting easily frustrated when it comes to Lotor, but also when it comes to working as a team.”

Keith looks at her, knows that he’s one of two parts of that criticism.

Keith. And Shiro.

Two leaders with different management styles; one a natural born leader, one forced into it due to the black lion’s stubbornness.

“But now,” Allura continues, “we can sip our drinks and talk it over.”

Keith is already finishing his cup and sets it down on the surface.

“Yeah, that was just what I needed.”

“Oh, well, glad to be of service,” Allura replies, only a small amount of disappointment in her voice.

“Thanks again for the drink of, well, I don’t know what this is. But I’m late for the dance.”

“You’re not going to that ridiculous exercise?” Allura asks, her face contorted in confusion. Surely they were going to discuss their issues like civilized beings?

“It’s just like training. What’s the difference?”

“It sounds barbaric. Pummeling each other until one’s unconscious…where’s the skill in that?”

“It’s not about skill, Allura. It’s about having a good time.”

“That’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard.”

Keith shrugs and makes his way to the door. “Come or not. But the way these last few missions have been going, I could really use to hit someone.”

 

***

_“Keith. Keith, I’m here.”_

_Keith fights his way across the surface of the unknown celestial body he’s crashed to. He makes his way to Shiro; slowly, painfully, but the location gets closer with every step. He keeps talking to Shiro, trying to keep him distracted from the ungodly amount of time it is taking Keith to get to where he needs to be._

_“If it wasn’t for you, my life would’ve been a lot different,” Keith says. His brain can’t help but focus on how much Shiro means to him after hearing the words that sped up Keith’s pace: a glowing alien wound._

_Shiro’s self-deprecating humor flows across the comms and now Keith really does need to focus. He needs to follow his advice, Shiro’s advice, because it’s either focus on the task at hand or stumble blindly through the tears that threaten to take over._

_“Stay with me, Shiro.”_

_He finds the black lion. After running from steaming hot water geysers and surviving a chasm leap, Keith is at the lion and is looking for Shiro. He spots him: Shiro, down below in a valley, on the run from large quadruped beasts. Overtaken…_

_Keith swallows his fear and panic, places a hand on the muzzle of the black lion._

_“I know I’m not Shiro, but he’s in trouble. We need to help him.” He presses everything he’s got into the touch, hoping Black will understand the direness of the situation and Keith’s need. Oh god, Keith desperately needs Shiro to be okay._

_Black’s eyes flash gold and she opens for the red paladin._

 

_Keith is still standing in front of Shiro’s pod, back at the castle of lions, when Coran sidles up next to him for a private chat._

_“Hey, Keith,” he begins. “I’ve got a quick question for you.”_

_“Shoot.”_

_“When you were rescuing Shiro, you were on foot because Red was down. So how did you save Shiro from all of those giant beasts?”_

_Keith laughs. “Obviously not with my bare hands. No, I got Black to open up and I piloted her.” He turns his gaze from Shiro to Coran who wears a look of shock. “Coran?”_

_Coran quickly reassembles his features into a professional manner._

_“Coran…” Keith drawls out._

_“That’s quite amazing, Keith.”_

_“What do you mean? We’re all paladins of Voltron.”_

_“Yes, but you all know that you can’t just pilot each others lions. The lions will accept one paladin, and only after the lion deems the person worthy.”_

_“Well, desperate times call for desperate measures,” Keith says._

_“Oh, Keith. If that were true, then the red lion would have accepted you sooner.”_

_“So what are you saying, Coran?”_

_“I don’t know. I’ve never heard of two paladins piloting the same lion before.”_

_“It was just the one time.”_

_“Still, it’s impressive, Number Four.”_

_Keith smiles at the nickname, and at the fact that he has apparently done something with Voltron that no one has ever done before. But what if…_

_“Coran, do you think Black would’ve opened for anyone else to save Shiro?”_

_Coran gives him a smile. “You know, Keith? I don’t think so. I think it needed to be you. Just you.”_

 

***

The deck is filled with Pidge’s awful music and laughing shouts.

Keith walks into the training room and to the boxing ring. He moves past Pidge after giving her a friendly nudge on the shoulder and then slips to Hunk’s corner. Hunk and Lance are already going at it in the ring by the time Keith manages to arrive. Both are sweaty and panting with exhaustion. Coran stands in the middle of the ring, judging hits and narrating the paladins' movements all the while Slav runs through the odds.

“Hey Keith,” Hunk greets when he joins Keith in his corner for water and a breather.

“Hey man. Having fun yet?”

“What? Yeah, like dancing! But I don’t trip as much this way!”

“That’s great, Hunk.” Keith pulls himself up on the ropes and leans forward to rest his forearms on them. He looks at Lance and then to Hunk. “So why are you pulling your punches? See how he leaves his left side open? You could get in quite a few shots.”

“What? No, Keith this is just for fun. We’re just blowing off steam.”

“How can it be fun if you’re not going all out? He’s a paladin of Voltron! He can take it!”

Hunk and Keith look at Lance, who has noticed their private conversation.

“What are you doing, Keith?!” Lance yells from across the ring.

“Just helping out.”

“Yeah, right! You just want to see me lose! I told you we were rivals, Hunk!”

Shiro climbs up to the ring out of nowhere, hangs on to the ropes from the edge of Lance’s corner and starts calling for Lance’s attention.

“Better get your boy under control,” Keith yells at him.

Shiro just gives him a concerned glare and Keith smirks.

“I’m not his boy, Keith! I don’t need anyone to tell me how to win!” Lance stops and his eyes widen. “Wait! Shiro’s on _my_ side! The tables have turned, Keith!”

“Jesus Christ,” Hunk grumbles and slowly moves back to the center of the ring.

“What did he tell you to do to me?” Lance asks. He’s dancing around Hunk, nothing but pent up energy and anxiety.

“Nothing, Lance. You know what? I don’t even want to fight anymore.”

“What?! Why!”

“Because you’re my friend, Lance! That’s why!”

“But this is a boxing match! Come on!” Lance swipes at Hunk, who just blocks. Lance begins pelting Hunk with punches until Hunk gets fed up and finds that, yes, Lance does leave his left open. Hunk delivers a blow that sends Lance to the mat.

Lance stares up at Hunk, stunned.

“Match!” Coran yells. “I think.”

“You did that on purpose!” Lance yells.

“Well, yeah. This is a boxing match,” Hunk counters.

“No, Keith told you to do that!”

Shiro is now inside the ring. “All right, everyone. Let’s call it a day.”

“What?” Keith yells. He is here, now, with his anger and his frustration, and finally he can do something about it. “That’s it? No way! We just started!”

Pidge turns down the music, unsure where events are heading.

Shiro turns away and puts his arms around Hunk and Lance. “You guys okay?”

“Yeah,” Lance mumbles.

“Hey, I’m sorry I hit you so hard,” Hunk says. “But I did have fun.”

“Yeah, me too actually. Until Mullet stuck his head in.”

Lance and Hunk help each other out of the ring, Shiro is still standing at the ropes with his back to Keith from the other corner. He starts to slip through the barrier when Keith starts climbing in.

“Where are you going?” Keith yells at Shiro.

“It’s over, Keith.”

“No.”

“Keith. It’s over.” Shiro says it slowly. Loudly.

“We’re not finished,” Keith says. “I haven’t gotten my fight yet.”

Shiro shakes his head at Keith, ignoring his protests.

“Don’t walk away from me!” Keith yells at him. “Or is leaving really the only thing you’re good at? Leaving us behind to clean up your mess?”

Shiro turns back around and steps into the ring.

 

***

_“How’s your wound?”_

_“My wound’s great. It’s getting bigger all the time.”_

_Keith has done the impossible: he piloted Black to save Shiro from the beasts of this place they’ve crashed onto, only to remain as castaways until the castle can find them. Keith’s concerned eyes grow at Shiro’s words._

_“Sorry. Just trying to lighten the mood.”_

_And then Shiro says the thing that Keith dreads most._

_“Keith, if I don’t make it out of here…I want you to lead Voltron.”_

_“Stop talking like that. You’re gonna make it.” It’s the only thing Keith can say._

_“Keith, I….”_

_“What is it?”_

_“I don’t know. I hurt. I’m cold.”_

_Keith looks at Shiro, sees that Shiro is still giving him that look, like he’s trying to read Keith’s reaction. Keith moves closer to him and wedges himself between the rock Shiro’s resting against and his back. He sidles his companion between his legs, pressing his warmth to the sides of his body, and wraps his arms around Shiro’s chest. Shiro lays his head back against Keith and lets out a sigh._

_“You okay?” Keith asks._

_“Better. Well…” Shiro trails off, then adjusts to his left side, nestling into Keith. Keith adjusts his hands and lets Shiro curl against him, carefully trying to surround him in body heat._

_They lay like that for a while, the two of them breathing steadily, the rise and fall of their chests working in tandem. Keith’s right hand moves from Shiro’s back to weave his fingers through Shiro’s hair. Shiro takes that as invitation to join his own hand with Keith’s unoccupied left. His hand, made of cool metal, envelops Keith’s and he drags them to his chest, holding them close. They’ve both become bold, out here on this rock, by themselves, with a wound dragging at Shiro’s life force._

_“Keith?”_

_“Yeah?”_

_I’m glad I’m with you.”_

_“Me too, Shiro.”_

_Shiro takes a breath. His hand lets go of Keith’s and wanders to his chest plate, lingering over Keith’s heart. “I always want to be with you.”_

_Keith presses a kiss to the top of Shiro’s head, feels his lips lost in the thick of his hair._

_“Me too.”_

 

***

Pidge stands with Shiro, talking with him quietly. Hunk stands with Keith, taping his hands. Lance stands with them out of loyalty to Hunk.

“Remember,” Hunk says. “This is supposed to be fun.”

But Keith turns to Lance instead.

“I’m sorry I took my anger out on you.”

Lance’s eyes widen, then he softens. “It’s okay, man. But it’s not Shiro’s fault either.”

Keith looks at Lance and his eyes narrow.

“Yes it is,” Keith says.

 

Keith throws the first punch.

The two of them start by testing each other with slow, textbook moves. It’s hesitant at first. Keith moves quicker and quicker with each of Shiro’s calculated moves, quickly growing in frustration.

“You afraid to hit me?!” Keith yells. “Hit me!”

Keith throws another punch aimed at Shiro’s jaw, but Shiro blocks and lands a hit with his other hand to Keith’s side. Keith lashes out, landing his fist on Shiro’s mouth, drawing blood, and finally, _finally_ it starts to feel personal.

 

***

_“Shiro? Can I talk to you?”_

_“Yeah, of course, Keith. What is it?”_

_“Well, I thought we could talk about what happened when we were thrown out of that wormhole.”_

_“Oh, right. Yeah, I’ve been meaning to… Thanks, Keith. For everything you did for me…when we were stranded.”_

_Keith just stares at him, not understanding why Shiro is avoiding the subject._

_“But we’re back now,” Shiro continues. “And we’ve got a lot of preparation to do. We’re contacting the Galra rebels’ base soon. We need to focus. And we need to work as a team. All of us.”_

_“What? Are you serious?! We need…_ I _need to talk about this!”_

_Shiro pulls Keith in for a quick hug. “I know. I’m sorry.” He pulls away from Keith and utters the words that Keith would learn to hate._

_“We’ll talk later. I promise.”_

***

Shiro knocks Keith to the ground.

“Come on!” Shiro yells at him. “You wanted to fight, Keith! You got it!”

Shiro’s eyes are blazing and blood coats his teeth, dripping from his mouth.

Keith responds in a determined glare. His nose sports a nasty gash and the entire left side of his face is covered in sweat and blood. Instead of standing up to box, Keith swipes his leg at Shiro’s, surprising him onto his back. Coran has moved to the side of the ring, trying to stay out of the red and black paladins' way, and abruptly cutting off any helpful remarks that escape his mouth. Slav continues to remark on the chances of no one ending up dead.

“Oh, man,” Hunk says. “I don’t think I can watch this anymore. Keith’s fighting dirty.”

Pidge watches Shiro slam Keith’s side with his knee. “And Shiro has just accepted that challenge.”

“What’s going on here?” Allura asks, finally joining the rest of them.

“What does it look like?” Pidge asks.

Keith kicks Shiro in the chest and Shiro responds with a feint then a sucker punch to the side of Keith’s head.

“It looks like they’re killing each other.”

“That’s one perspective,” Pidge mutters.

 

***

_Keith is running._

_Running to the black lion that lays on the hangar floor at a weird, unnatural angle. The battle with Zarkon is over for now, the castle is safe and at a distance. But still…_

_“Shiro!” Keith yells. “Shiro!”_

_The black lion opens for Keith just like she did in his previous state of distress. He runs up the ramp, preparing himself for the state he’ll find Shiro in, not even accepting the idea of what he actually finds._

_The cockpit is empty._

Stay with me, Shiro, _Keith remembers saying when they were stranded together._

Later, I promise, _he remembers Shiro saying afterwards._

_“Shiro?” he calls aloud, because Keith is done. The other paladins have crowded inside to see for themselves._

_“He’s gone,” one of them says._

_“Keith?” another says, like they’re looking to him for confirmation. But Keith thinks that Shiro must really be gone because he doesn’t feel anything anymore. He doesn't feel at all._

_The cockpit is empty. Shiro has left Keith again. And it’s another promise to Keith that will not be kept._

_***_

Shiro pushes Keith away and then punches him in the face.

Keith recoils abruptly, but remains on his feet. He slowly turns to face his opponent and moves slower still to move in for an attack.

They’ve been at it for ages and the other paladins, plus Coran and Slav, watch their two leaders as they struggle to keep the momentum. They all know the two are past the climax, and they wait with bated breath to find out what the outcome will be.

The punches are slow and lacking. They barely make contact. Keith and Shiro both stagger at each other, breathing wet, heavy gasps. They brush knuckles, shoulders, hips, and legs. They can barely raise their fists. Keith attempts to throw a punch, but Shiro just grabs him and pulls him closer. Keith can’t work in any hits with the two of them pulled into a hug, so Keith does the only thing he can. He grips Shiro to himself, too.

The two are swaying, like to a slow dance only the two of them are aware of. Shiro has wrapped himself around Keith’s arms and Keith has Shiro by the waist. They’re at a standstill, with no winner or loser, but both are still upright and clinging to each other. Shiro leans on Keith a bit to help him stay up, burying his face into Keith’s neck with eyes closed. Keith just pulls him closer, his own eyes barely open from exhaustion.

They’re a mess. Their bodies and clothes covered in blood and sweat and bruises and gashes. But Keith doesn’t care what they look like. He never has.

“I missed you,” Keith whispers to his ear.

“I missed you, too,” Shiro says back. He clears his throat, swallows the blood, and says it again, louder. “I missed you, too.”

 

 

EPILOGUE

The paladins leave their lions in their hangars and make their way towards the castle. They see Shiro, waiting for them, smile on his face. He’s proud. They’re all a little proud. They’re in a groove and the six of them are running around like a well-oiled machine. Lance, Hunk, and Allura give a replay of their top five moments, Shiro laughing with them because he, of course, had visuals on everything that happened. Pidge gives Shiro a hug before excusing herself to clean up, at which the others remember that they too need to get out of their paladin armor.

“Thanks for having my back out there,” Keith says to Shiro while watching the retreating backs of the others.

“I always have your back, Keith.” Their bruises have faded and their cuts have closed. The boxing ring is stowed back in storage.

“Yeah, I know. I was angry before.”

“I know.”

“Plus, I thought you were criticizing me.”

“No. Just worried.”

Keith looks at him confused.

“When I was out there, piloting Black, I was in the situation with you. But watching the mayhem from the castle, with you in Black and myself stuck in the castleship…I feel very far away.”

Keith nods.

“But I trust your instincts, Keith. I always have. It’s just different as an observer.”

“And I trust you, Shiro. I know that your thinking has saved us too many times to count. I’m glad I have you.”

Shiro pulls Keith in for a hug, holding him for a few seconds, then presses his mouth to his, like a seal on what they’ve just admitted to each other. A promise.


End file.
